Providing education, options important to treating indigent glaucoma patients

ATLANTA — Understanding the challenges that indigent glaucoma patients face can assist physicians in better treating those patients, a clinician said here.

Eve J. Higginbotham

"Poor health literacy is a stronger predicator — think about that — of a person's health than age, income, employment status, education level and race," Eve J. Higginbotham, MD, said at the American Academy of Ophthalmology meeting. "In fact, 90 million people in our country have difficulty understanding and using health care information."

While education plays a major role in indigent glaucoma patients receiving and maintaining glaucoma care, many also lack access to transportation, have limited understanding of English and face other challenges, she said.

Dr. Higginbotham recommended that glaucoma specialists present information at a fifth or sixth grade level so that patients can understand health information. Physicians also must offer indigent glaucoma patients the treatment options that they need. For instance, if patients are unable to refill their medications, then laser surgery might be the better treatment option, she said.

Physicians must individualize medical care for each patient, including providing educational content that is readily understood by the patient and culturally appropriate. This may entail presentation of clinical information at a fifth- or sixth-grade level so that patients have a full comprehension of their diagnostic and treatment options. Thus, accurate and patient-targeted health information can enhance clinical care, since the patient will be fully involved in the decision-making process. Dr. Higginbotham’s advice will readily improve patient care, since effective communication helps to minimize and/or eliminate the barriers to attaining quality health care. By identifying the patient’s unique barriers to medical care, the physician can enhance the effectiveness of the doctor-patient relationship.

– James C. Tsai, MD
Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Science,
Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Conn.